What is an Insurable Interest in Life Insurance?

Shawn Plummer

CEO, The Annuity Expert

An insurable interest in life insurance is a legal term that refers to the relationship between the policyholder and the person or entity being insured. For an individual to purchase life insurance on another person, they must have an insurable interest in that person’s life. Insurance interest means that the policyholder must have a financial stake in the person’s well-being. If you wonder whether you have an insurable interest in someone’s life, keep reading to learn more!

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What Does Insurable Interest In Life Insurance Mean?

Someone has an “insurable interest” in you if they would experience financial hardship if you died. The hardship is a basic requirement for getting life insurance. For example, you can’t take out a life insurance policy on someone else because you wouldn’t have an insurable interest in their life.

Insurable Interest In Life Insurance

What Is Insurable Interest?

An insurable interest is defined as “an interest in property such that loss or damage to the property would cause a financial loss.” For an insurance company to legally bind a policy, the insured must have an insurable interest in the subject of the insurance. This requirement protects the insurance company from people trying to take out insurance on things they don’t stand to lose anything from.

The Two Types Of Losses

Insurance policies typically protect against two types of losses: direct losses and indirect losses. Direct losses are financial losses caused by the physical damage to or destruction of the property. For example, if your house burns down, the direct loss would be the value of your house and all of your belongings that were destroyed in the fire. Indirect losses are financial losses that are not caused by the physical damage to or destruction of the property but are still a result of the event. For example, if your business has to close for a few days after a fire, you would suffer an indirect financial loss.

Insurance policies can protect against direct and indirect losses, but they typically only cover a certain amount of each. Therefore, it’s essential to read your policy carefully to know what types of losses are covered and how much coverage you have. If you have any questions, you should always contact your insurance agent or company to get clarification.

When Does Insurable Interest Have To Exist In A Life Insurance Policy?

In order to buy a life insurance policy, you must have an insurable interest in the person, which means that you must have a reason to want the person to stay alive. The most common reasons are because the person is someone’s spouse, child, parent, or sibling.

Generally, close family members automatically qualify for life insurance policies. But this rule is more common if someone who is not a family member wants to take out a policy on you because they rely on your financial support. Then, of course, you only need to prove insurable interest at purchase. So, for example, if you just got married, you currently have an insurable interest in your spouse and can take out a policy on them.

Examples of Insurance Interest

  • Spouse or Domestic Partner
  • Children
  • Relatives
  • Business Partners and Associates
Interest In Insurance

How To Prove Insurable Interest In Life Insurance

An insurance agent will help you understand who can be covered when you buy life insurance. That includes your children and spouse. If you are financially supporting someone outside of your family, tell your insurance agent so they can be covered too.

Insurable Interest Requirements

Your agent may ask for official identification, a medical exam, or an interview with you on the phone to make sure that the people who rely on you will be okay financially if you die. This process is essential because it will give you and the people who depend on you a peace of mind.

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Need Help Getting Life Insurance Coverage?

Now that you know a little more about insurable interest, we hope that you will be able to make informed decisions about the types of insurance policies that are right for you! Feel free to contact us if you need help purchasing a life insurance policy. The service is free of charge.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is insurance interest?

Insurance interest is a form of investment that protects against financial loss. When the loss or damage of an object would result in a financial loss or other difficulties, a person or entity has an insurable interest in it.

Shawn Plummer

CEO, The Annuity Expert

I’m a licensed financial professional focusing on annuities and insurance for more than a decade. My former role was training financial advisors, including for a Fortune Global 500 insurance company. I’ve been featured in Time Magazine, Yahoo! Finance, MSN, SmartAsset, Entrepreneur, Bloomberg, The Simple Dollar, U.S. News and World Report, and Women’s Health Magazine.

The Annuity Expert is an online insurance agency servicing consumers across the United States. My goal is to help you take the guesswork out of retirement planning or find the best insurance coverage at the cheapest rates for you. 

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